Communication Skills

Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys: Resilience to Anxiety & Burnout

Blog, Communication Skills, Mindfulness & Contentment, Self-Care, Work Life Balance / By

Thank you to everyone who participated, asked questions, and shared during my recent #DenStartupWeek Panel Discussion on fostering resilience to anxiety and burnout as entrepreneurs and startup professionals. The event was standing room only and the conversation was lively. We heard afterwards from many people that the topic was important to them and necessary to […]

Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys: Resilience to Anxiety & Burnout Read More »

Steer Me, Guide Me: Practice the Tough Stuff with Your Therapist

Communication Skills, Counseling & Therapy / By

Recently, I experienced one of the more powerful, important conversations a therapist can have with a client. Deep in the middle of an intense exploration, my client asked me what they should do. This is a trick question to be explored – there are no good answers that leave the client empowered and independent. I

Steer Me, Guide Me: Practice the Tough Stuff with Your Therapist Read More »

Entrepreneurs & Start-Up Professionals Get Support Too

Communication Skills, Counseling & Therapy, Mindfulness & Contentment, Partnering & Relationships, Self-Care, Uncategorized, Work Life Balance / By

In the daunting, isolating world of Entrepreneurs & Start-Up Founders, many people have a hard time getting the emotional support they need. Many of my clients who are Entrepreneurs and Start-up Professionals & Founders report being overwhelmed, without someone to turn to. They feel they can’t turn to their employees to vent, confide, or blow

Entrepreneurs & Start-Up Professionals Get Support Too Read More »

Quitting Can Be Good For Everyone

Communication Skills, Mindfulness & Contentment, Self-Care, Work Life Balance / By

Many of my clients strive to be engaged in their communities by volunteering, serving on Boards of Directors for non-profits, and working as lay leaders. This can be incredibly rewarding and enriching work. Martin Seligman describes this in his PERMA recipe for contentment as Meaning – serving a cause or purpose greater than oneself. It

Quitting Can Be Good For Everyone Read More »

Step Out of the Chaos & Embrace Yourself

Communication Skills, Counseling & Therapy, Mindfulness & Contentment, Partnering & Relationships, Self-Care, Uncategorized / By

When we choose to live authentically, we establish good boundaries and healthier interactions. We take responsibility for our roles. We step outside the dysfunctional system we’ve been in. By no longer colluding in the dysfunction, we up-end the system around us, and the people in it react, often negatively. In the long run though, our

Step Out of the Chaos & Embrace Yourself Read More »

Burning the Candle at Both Ends Without Getting Burned

Blog, Communication Skills, Mindfulness & Contentment, Partnering & Relationships, Self-Care, Work Life Balance / By

Here are the slides from Matthew’s talk at #DENStartupWeek 2014: DSW BurnOut Sept 2014 Here are the Resources & References from the end of the slides: Gottman Institute Julie Colwell Brene Brown Shawn Achor Dan Gilbert TED: Happiness Martin Seligman Gay & Katie Hendricks Five Love Languages Mayu Sanctuary Please be respectful of the intellectual property (mine and

Burning the Candle at Both Ends Without Getting Burned Read More »

Orbiting, Explicit Requests, Self-Growth for Great Relationships

Blog, Communication Skills, Counseling & Therapy, Partnering & Relationships / By

In another great article on establishing healthy partnerships, The Good Men Project offers “10 Things People Who Are Great At Relationships Do Differently.” Here are three from this list that come up most frequently in my work with couples. Check out the article to read the author’s take and the rest of the list. Here are

Orbiting, Explicit Requests, Self-Growth for Great Relationships Read More »

30 Lessons About Relationships

Blog, Communication Skills, LGBT, Partnering & Relationships, Self-Care / By

While David Artavia speaks primarily to gay men in his article “30 Things I’ve Learned about Gay Relationships While Being Single,” most of them apply to all relationships. It’s a though-provoking list of some big lessons about connecting, love and belonging. Worth a quick read. Here’s a taste. Two of my favorites and possibly most

30 Lessons About Relationships Read More »

Building the Relationship You Want

Communication Skills, Partnering & Relationships / By

Dr. Sue Johnson wrote a succinct and powerful piece describing strategies to build the relationship you want with your partner. In it, she reminds the reader of some pretty macro ideas like strong relationships take work and intention. They don’t just happen. Love doesn’t just happen, it is cultivated through partnership, empathy, connection, and vulnerability. It

Building the Relationship You Want Read More »